The Alpha’s Heir
Chapter 14

*** Amber ***

We run to my father’s house the following morning. Preston comes with us and insists on the Beta Guards being on stand-by in case we need assistance.

“I’m not taking any chances, Red. I need you to be safe,” he tells me as he caresses my back and as*s.

Aiden is fired up and ready to confront the beast who sentenced our mother to the most painfully excruciating death ever, the selfish man who allowed us to think that she was alive and deliberately ignoring us. My b***d bubbles in unspent rage. I will extract answers today. I will do whatever needs to be done to get the truth today.

When we arrive at his cottage, Marissa, his mate, is sitting outside the garden on a large boulder. She weeps and shivers, so after I shift back into my human form and quickly re-dress in my clothes, I approach her.

“Why are you crying, Marissa? Is there anything I can do?” I ask her. Her head darts up quickly at the sound of my voice.

“Amber? What are you doing here? Your father won’t be happy.” She quickly wipes her tears away and plasters a serene expression on her face, but it is futile. The evidence of her upset is still plain to see.

“Aiden and I need to talk to him, but first, I want to know what has upset you. Why isn’t your mate here trying to make it better?”

Her eyes fill with fresh tears and the sobs that wrack her body breaks my heart. This is a desperately unhappy woman, and I know in my gut that this is my father’s doing.

“I’m not pregnant again and John blames me, but my wolf tells me everything his wolf says. She tells me it’s John’s fault. This is his punishment from his wolf.” As Lizzie laughs and rolls about in my head, I try my best to comfort my stepmother.

I sit beside her and drape my arm around her shoulders and allow her to cry all over me. While I comfort her, Aiden and Preston approach the cottage. Despite summoning our father, he did not come out.

“Get out here now!” Aiden roars from outside his door. From my position, I can see the anger displayed physically on his body. He is tense and tightly wound, and his fury causes the back of his neck to turn red.

Our father is unable to refuse a direct order from his Alpha and begrudgingly opens his door and steps outside.

“What do you want? Who do you think you are, summoning me in my own home? You’ve got some nerve, boy.”

I don’t often see my brother taking full advantage of his Alpha position, but today, Aiden shows no mercy, just like our father showed our mother no mercy. He is taking no prisoners; he exudes power and my pride in him swells inside me.

“Bow to your Alpha, you insolent old fool,” Aiden spits out at him through gritted teeth. “I’m not a boy, I am a full-grown Alpha werewolf, it would do you well to remember that. And don’t ever question why I am here. I say jump, you ask how high. I am your Alpha, understand? Now BOW.”

My father bows to his Alpha, falling to his knees, and exposing his neck. His body does it involuntarily, without question. When he straightens up, the venom is clear to see in his eyes. He has nothing but hatred and resentment towards us.

“You allowed us to believe that our mother abandoned us. You caused us pain. Tell me why I shouldn’t take your throat, right here, right now.” As Aiden starts talking, Marissa walks towards him until I pull her back.

“Don’t get involved, Marissa. We need to confront him.” Despite my words, she shakes her head at me as she pulls away from my grasp.

“I’m already involved, don’t you see? John, tell them everything or I will. Tell them now.” I can’t comprehend how Marissa knows and yet we don’t. Didn’t we deserve to know what happened to our mother?

“Go inside, Marissa. I want to talk to my children.” My father’s voice is fierce and, despite her shaking, Marissa stands up to him and defiantly refuses.

“No. You ruined Coral’s life and now you’re ruining mine. I used to love you and admire you, but now I can see you for what you are. A bully. A pathetic, controlling and insecure bully.” Marissa turns to Aiden and continues to talk. “Your father has been blaming me for not getting pregnant, he says he can obviously conceive because he has you two. But his wolf told mine that he is punishing John for hurting his mate and children. He will never be blessed with another child because of the appalling way he treated the mother of his pups.”

My father pounces on her before we can stop him, clawing and screeching at his mate as she wails in agony. The snap of her neck echoes around the woods surrounding the little quaint cottage. Aiden shifts and pins our father to the wall, but it is too late. Marissa is dead. Her beautiful face is unrecognisable because of the welts and scratches her mate inflicted on her. The person who was supposed to love her and protect her has destroyed her.

“You f*****g bastard. How could you? She was so sweet. And young. How could you treat her like that? What is wrong with you?” I scream at the top of my voice; the horrific scene is burned into my memory for all eternity.

I have seen many things in my life. However, when my father’s face starts to contort and change, I freak out. “Preston, what’s happening to him?” I ask him, repulsed by what I am witnessing. Preston doesn’t answer though, he doesn’t have the answer.

However, my father’s wolf answers instead. “You need to kill him. Kill him now, and me too. He is evil, he has always been evil. I made him transfer the position of Alpha. I threatened to kill us if he didn’t.” I can visibly see my father fighting against his wolf, but his wolf has taken advantage of him being weakened by the death of his mate.

“He refused to tell you even when we could see how hurt you were, thinking sweet Coral didn’t love you. The truth is, she wasn’t allowed. He smothered her but wouldn’t mark her and when her true mate came, he punished her.”

His own wolf has turned against him. He must have caused his wolf unknown pain for him to willingly sacrifice himself in this way.

“I, Alpha Aiden Goldrick, replace you, John Goldrick, guilty of causing the unnecessary death of Coral White, guilty of causing mental and emotional damage to your children, Aiden and Amber, and guilty of the unlawful killing of your chosen mate, Marissa Goldrick. I sentence you to death.” He rips out our father’s throat so fast that his body remains upright a couple of seconds after his heart stops before slumping in a pile on the dirt floor.

“Aiden, are you okay?” I ask him softly. He is in a trance-like state and doesn’t move. “Come on Aiden, let’s go home, this is over now. Let’s get back to your girls.” The mention of his girls wakes him up and gives him the incentive he needs to move.

“I’m sorry you had to witness that; I didn’t want you to have to see that. I can’t believe he killed Marissa, the selfish fvcker.” I replace it hard to believe too and yet I saw him do it with my own eyes.

Preston organises for Marissa’s body to be taken to the mortuary, ready for her send-off. She will have a pyre and be sent off to the Promised Land in dignity. Our father, on the other hand, will not. Aiden digs his grave himself and plonks him without any grace.

“Do you want to say anything, Amber?” he asks me with a spade in his hands, ready to refill our father’s final resting place.

“Yes. Yes, I do. Rot in hell.” I spit into his grave before walking away. I will not waste another minute on that man. He killed my mother and completely ruined my childhood and any esteem I had in myself by allowing me to believe I wasn’t wanted, I was abandoned, and I was unlovable. I almost threw away my mate and our bond based on those beliefs. He never once showed any remorse or regret for what he did. The way he treated Marissa today demonstrated that he was evil to the core. He was rotten and the world is better off without him.

I wait at the edge of the property for my brother and embrace him when he reaches me. “Come on Amber, let’s go home. It’s time to let go of the past and start living for the now and the future. That is what our mother would have wanted.”

The past has already robbed us of too much. It is time to look forward, and now, I have so much to look forward to.

*** Salma ***

Ale had been missing for fifteen hours when his father and brother return to me. “There was no sign of him anywhere, Salma. We’re going to have to call in some reinforcements.” Raul tries to cajole me but, if anything, it unsettles me even more.

“I can’t just sit around and wait for him to be found. Please watch Ricky for me. I’m going to replace my husband.” I call Willy and within half an hour, he has my usual team assembled.

“Ale has been missing for almost sixteen hours now. We know how precious this time is. We have to replace him and replace him fast. I need you to go above and beyond. I need you to help me replace him. You boys have never let me down. If anyone can replace him, it’s you lot.”

Karl raises his hand. “Mrs Morales, there were rumours of activity at the docks. I think we should check it out.” A shiver of dread runs throughout me as I give my agreement to his plan. That seems like the sort of place you could have someone cornered, but why hasn’t he come home? Am I going to replace my Ale alive and well or has Dominga snuffed his life out too? I am nauseated at the thought.

Matteo asks if he can come too. “I won’t be able to settle, Salma. He’s my little brother and I need to know what has happened.” I am thankful for his support. At this moment in time, we both have a common goal, we both love Alejandro and want him home safely.

The drive through the city to the docks doesn’t take long. It is late at night now and the roads are mostly deserted.

As we pull into the docks, my stomach turns when I realise the magnitude of the task ahead of us. There are a million and one places Ale could be here. I don’t let it stop me. I put my gun in my belt and carry a second one in my hand. “We need to split up and do this systematically. In twos, everyone, and if you see anything suspicious, call for me straight away.”

We search into the night. “Where are you, Ale? Come on, I need you. Don’t do this to me,” I mutter continually under my breath. I will never give up. I know Ale would never give up on me.

“Salma. You need to get some rest. You need to stay strong for Ale and for Ricky now too.” Willy has become a father figure to me, and I know he means well, but I can’t just stop. Not now.

“Just one more hour. I feel like we are getting close to something, Willy.” He nods but I can see the concern lining his face.

We carry on searching and decide to check out the warehouses. Around twenty minutes later, I hear one of my team shouting out to me. They have found something. My heart pounds in my chest as I make my way through the dilapidated building. If it is Ale, they would have said they had found Ale. Except if he is dead. Then they wouldn’t tell me they would show me. Have they found Ale? And if not, what have they found that would be of interest to me?

Dominga.

They found Dominga’s dead body. A single gunshot wound right between the eyes has more than likely granted her a fast and instant death. There is a trickle of b***d running down her face but that is it. She could be sleeping if you cover the hole in her forehead. All I can think is at least I don’t have to kill her now. I can continue to look my little brother in the eye.

That’s one problem solved but another question still begs for an answer: where the f**k is Ale?

“Mrs Morales, there is something else too.” My heart somersaults. Please don’t be Ale. Please don’t be dead. However, less than 100 feet away from Dominga’s body is a decapitated body.

I m**n as I fall to my knees. I know from looking at the body, I know.

It isn’t my Ale.

Relief and horror washes over me. “ALE! Where are you?” I scream out; the bank of pent-up emotion bursts within me and I can’t hold it in any longer.

Willy and Matteo run to me. “Shhh. Sal, Shhh. Do you hear that?”

I listen out to hear what they can: a thudding. “ALE!” I shout again as I search frantically for him, following the hollow tapping that seems to quicken every time I shout.

“F*****g hell, Chula. What took you so long?” The scratchy whisper, hardly even audible, makes me fall to my knees.

“Ale! Oh my god! Oh my god.” The boys swarm around us and quickly pull Ale out from behind the crates and debris. He is in a bad way.

“Whose body is that, Ale?” I hear Matteo ask his brother.

“It’s Tony Serrano, he was behind it all, Sal. He wanted our firms and got Dominga to help him take out your papa. His firm is now mine because I took his head.”

I gag as Ale rolls Tony Serrano’s head out from beside him. “He shot Dominga and me at the same time. She died instantly, but he got me in the leg. I think I passed out after I killed him.”

Not long after that, Ale passes out again. We can’t take him to the hospital because it would attract the attention of the police, so I do the only thing I can think of. I contact the only person with the power and resources to help us.

I call Alpha Aiden Goldrick and beg him to save my husband’s life.

*** Eva ***

I ask Mrs Moore to take Summer for a little while when Aiden returns home from his father’s. I can tell from the b***d and dirt on him that something terrible has happened. I just want to offer him the same level of love and support that he has always given me.

He shakes and shivers as he stands in front of me. My big strong Alpha is hurting, and he needs me. I need to be strong for him now like he has always been strong for me. I start the shower until it is really hot just as he likes it, and I remove his dirty clothes.

Once he is down to his pants, I take him by the hand and direct him to the shower. I wash away the dirt and the b***d and stench of desperation. It’s only when I rinse him off that I notice his eyes are full of unshed tears. Despite being fully dressed, I step into the shower with him and hold him close to me as he releases all his pain and anger.

At first, Aiden tries to pull away. He tries to stop his tears, but I hold his face in my hands. “Let it out. You saw what holding onto pain did to me and Lina, so let go of it, Aiden. Share it with me because I am sharing mine with you too. Then we can both be free of our demons and can move on to the future together.”

His salty tears fall between us, he k!sses me as he cries, and when his need becomes too much, I give my body to him to provide any comfort and support he needs. He rips my clothes from me with urgency and lifts me so I can wrap my legs around his waist. The exquisite feeling of Aiden’s hard c0ck filling me and pushing into me repeatedly has me panting with my own need.

“Eva. I love you. Please, can we have our Mating Ceremony?” I chant yes to his request; I chant it over and over as my own 0rgasm erupts and consumes me. I clench him deep inside me and, with a g***n of satisfaction, he shudders and stills inside me. His c0ck continues to twitch as his red-hot come coats my inner walls. “You said yes.”

I look into the deep, mesmerising green eyes of my mate; the tears are spent but there is still longing there in them. “I did. I wasn’t sure about the ceremony. I thought it was like a marriage, but nothing between us is anything like what was between Ryan and me. I feared tainting what we have and it turning like my marriage did, but I know with certainty now. I love you, Aiden Goldrick, and you are the love of my life. I want to spend forever with you, loving you, supporting you and sharing everything with you. So, my answer is yes. I want our Mating Ceremony too.”

Excitement and joy flows through our mate bond as Aiden k!sses me passionately. His c0ck is still inside me and starts to harden yet again and we slowly make love this time, taking our time and really enjoying each other. Aiden angles his thrusts so he is hitting my G-sp0t with every stroke. He keeps me upright with one arm and with his other hand he care*sses my cl!t. My body shakes and trembles as I edge towards a second c!imax, and I cling to his strong shoulders as my body submits to the delight only my mate brings.

“You’re f*****g perfect, Eva. You’re my perfect mate. My perfect lover. My perfect Luna and I love you and want the world to know.” He thrusts deeper and harder than ever before, there is an urgency in him that I have never seen before.

“I love you too, Alpha. I love you with all my heart and cannot wait to declare it to the world.” He growls as he finally comes inside me again. I wrap my arms around his neck and rest my head up against his chest.

“I don’t know how you do it, but I feel a lot better now. Thank you.” He gives me a quick peck before helping me down and this time he cleans me. “I didn’t hurt you, did I? I know I was a bit rougher that last time.”

I drag my lips across his, “It was all amazing. It felt so good, Aiden, and it was what you needed. You needed to be close to me. I am more than satisfied and happy.”

As we dress in the cell, stealing k!sses in between, reluctantly pulling our clean clothes on, Aiden’s phone starts ringing. “Ah, f**k it, I’m not answering. It’s late and I just want to snuggle with my girl.”

However, it rings again, and again, and then my phone starts ringing too.

“Who the f**k is ringing us?” Aiden asks as he crosses the room to get his phone. “Oh. It’s Salma, something must have happened.”

My initial thought is that she has found Junior. “Sal? What’s up?”

“Ale’s been shot, he’s in a bad way and I can’t take him to the hospital. Please ask Aiden if his healers will treat him.” I start to shake as I tell Aiden what has happened.

Aiden takes the phone from me. “Where are you?” Her answer is inaudible to me. “Where has he been shot? And by what? How long ago? Bring him straight here, now, I’ll clear it with Border Control and brief the healers straight away.”

Aiden mindlinks Border Control and the Healers and I try to put the rest of his clothes on him.

“I’ll send Sal to sit with you. Ale’s is in a really bad way from what she said. She’ll need her friend.”

“I’ll be right here, go and save our friend.” I k!ss him goodbye before he locks the cell and it’s not the first time I have felt helpless by being held inside here.

Sal comes down into the dungeon to wait about an hour later. She shakes with nerves and exhaustion, and I do everything I can to comfort her, but the only thing that could make this better is Ale being okay. Summer returns from Mrs Moore’s care and she hugs Sal and sings nursery rhymes to her and settles her in a way I never could. The pure adoration my daughter has for her Auntie Sally is so beautiful to see.

Summer settles on her bed and Sal sits and strokes her head. “She’s so precious, Eva. She is such a beautiful soul.”

I couldn’t agree more. I know she is my daughter and, therefore, I love her no matter what, but she is so caring and fun. She has a soul as sincere as an angel.

“I forgot to tell you: I got Luke’s number for you. I told him that you just wanted to talk, and he said that was fine.” She writes down the number and passes it to me. “I hope this helps you both so you can move on. Ryan did a job on the two of you.”

I take the number and as soon as Ale is safe, I will call Luke and finally clear the air between us.

After a couple of hours, there is a knock at the door, and it’s a surprise to see Max. “The Alpha told us what happened, and Melanie wanted to come and sit with you both if that’s okay, Luna?”

“Of course, Max, bring her in.” Max smiles at our easy acceptance of his mate and I am thankful that Melanie has been mated to a kind and gentle and understanding wolf like him,

Max returns up the steps and carries Melanie back down. “Hi”, she greets us meekly, but I haven’t had a chance to thank her yet or to tell her how sorry I am for her loss, so I stand at the bars with my hands outstretched waiting for Max to bring her to me.

“It’s great to see you up and about, Mel. I hadn’t had a chance to say thank you to you for what you did. You saved my little girl’s life, and I will be thankful until the day I die for what you did.” I embrace her, the woman I once thought of as my foe, my biggest enemy, but now consider my daughter’s saviour. “I’m so sorry about your baby, Mel. Aiden has people looking for Junior and we will get justice for you and your baby. I promise you that.”

“Thank you, Eva, and to both of you for letting me come and sit with you. Go on, Max, leave us be. Come back later for me, okay?” I can’t help but smile when Max k!sses her against her temple and Melanie blushes in reaction. They are falling for each other and fast. That’s how it is for werewolves. When you know, you know.

“I know you’ve probably got a million questions about Max and me but I just need to pass this message to Salma first.” She lifts a white envelope from her pocket and hands it to Sal.

Sal reads it and lets out a sigh. “Thank God. They’ve got the bullet out and have cut out the corruption, now they have to sew him up and hope for the best.” She starts to cry with relief. “The stupid idiot has me weeping with relief. I’m going to kill him when he’s out of surgery!”

We laugh along with her, her joy evident at Ale being safe. “So, tell us and you and Max, he seems to be smitten with you, Mel?”

Melanie blushes again. “I’ve never met anyone like him, he’s just so… I mean I like him, but you probably think this is too fast and that I’m just jumping from one man to another. But Max is different. This is… special.”

I can see myself a few months ago when Aiden came into my life. I couldn’t comprehend how strong my feelings were for him after such a short period of time. “Mel, that’s how I felt about Aiden. When you know, you know. And no one would begrudge you a bit of happiness. Max is a good man, and he will take care of you.”

“This is the first time he has left my side since the accident. I know I’ve been high on pain relief, but he is so amazing. Last night though, I think he was trying to make me laugh. He told me he was a werewolf!” Salma and I look quickly at each other and then look down, and the smile falls from Melanie’s face. “Wait, you know something. Oh my God, is it true? Is Aiden one too?” She looks shocked but not repulsed or disgusted, so I nod slowly to her.

“Yep, Max and Aiden are werewolves. And I’m one too,” I whisper as I lower my head.

“Really? Was he telling the truth? So, is it true then about the mate’s bond and everything?”

I nod to her but to my dismay, she starts to cry. “Mel? It’s okay, Max isn’t dangerous or anything, he won’t hurt you, I promise.” Melanie takes her hands from her face and looks up at me and I realise she is smiling.

“He’s mine and I am his… He wants us to be together, he wants us to be a family. I can’t believe it!”

Having found the love of my life in a similar way, I understand how lucky she is feeling right now. The Moon Goddess has honestly blessed us all.

*** Preston ***

After taking Marissa’s body to the morgue, I inform her sister of her death and explain what happened. Her sister looks like she expected this, and my b***d runs cold as a result .

“It wasn’t a healthy relationship. He used to beat her and abuse her. I’m not surprised it ended like this, but at least she is free from him now. Tell the Alpha I thank him for being so swift with his justice. I will speak to him tomorrow at the pyre.”

When I return home, Amber is already in bed. Her vibrant red hair is still wet from the shower. “Are you sleeping?” I whisper to her, and she shakes her head at me in response.

I strip out of my clothes and shower quickly and then climb into bed with my love and hold her close to me. “I’m right here if you need me. I’ll always be right here.”

“Preston, I just want to concentrate on the future now. This is over, he’s gone, and he’ll never take up any more time and space from my life.” I k!ss her forehead; her words have never made me happier.

“We have so much to look forward to Amber, starting with our Mating Ceremony this weekend. We have our whole lives to plan. What do you want to do first?”

She looks at me with wonder, looking younger and carefree now. The strain of the past and her trial had put years on her and now it is gone, she is a young woman with the world at her feet once more.

“Can we have a holiday soon? Just you and me?” I laugh at the sparkle in her eyes. We won’t be able to leave just yet, not while Junior and Nikki are still out there and while the Luna is still under home arrest, but hopefully soon I can give my love everything her heart desires.

“Once Eva is allowed out of the cell, we will, but right now, Aiden needs us both.” In the back of my mind, I hope that Amber will be carrying our pup by then.

She pushes back against me. “I love you, Preston, I can’t wait for the weekend to tell everyone else too.” I k!ss her goodnight.

“I love you too, Red. I always have and I always will.” Within minutes, she is sleeping and once she hits a deep sleep, I crawl out of bed and continue to make more arrangements for our ceremony this weekend. I want this to be spectacular. I want Amber to know how much she means to me.

I contact my mother who confirms she has arranged all the flowers and food. My father will meet me in the morning to go to the tailor’s and he has the rings I commissioned.

I will be meeting with the Pack Shaman tomorrow morning to confirm our vows and to take instructions from him.

I am so busy overseeing all the little details that it takes me a while to realise that the room is cold. A movement outside catches my attention, and with a start, I realize that in the shrubs just outside my window are two people.

When I open the window, Nikki’s scent, mixed with someone else’s, quickly travels in. How the f**k has she got on our lands again? I mindlink Aiden and Billy but as soon as I open the window, Nikki hears me and runs away, but not before she shouts a reminder.

“Your pups will be cursed. Remember that. You will never be free and happy. Amber will pay for what she did. You will all pay for what she did.” I shake with both anger and realisation. In the whirl of everything else happening, I had forgotten about the curse Nikki placed on my future pups with Amber. It was right after Eva confronted her and we found she had a dire wolf. How could I have been so reckless and forgetful?

By the time the trackers get around to their hiding spot, there is no sign of Nikki or Junior. I wake Amber and tell her I am going to Aiden; I need to talk to them both about what happened, and about the curse.

“What curse, Preston? You never said anything about a curse.” She sounds perplexed as she wipes the sleep from her eyes.

As I explain to Amber the curse that Nikki had placed on our pups, her hand goes to her tummy, and I have never felt so guilty. “Preston, our pup could be growing inside me right now. Why didn’t you tell me?”

It’s a valid question: why didn’t I? I can only surmise that with everything else that happened, I had simply forgotten. Had I really taken it seriously? No, maybe I hadn’t, but I did sincerely push it to the back of my mind when Eva transformed into a ferocious Dire Wolf.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t remember until she just shouted through the window, reminding me.” Amber sits with her head in her hands. “Red, please talk to me, tell me what to do. I am so sorry.”

“How do you break a curse? Did she say what the conditions were, Preston? Did she say what the get-out clause was?!” I rack my brains trying to remember what she said. I don’t remember any conditions.

In the end, I shake my head at her. “I don’t remember, Amber, I’m sorry. She cursed us, Eva transformed and scared the sh!t out of us all and Nikki ran away while we were all distracted. I don’t remember anything else she said. I just remember her saying that she placed a curse on all pups that come from our union.”

I thought that Aiden was answering my earlier mindlink when he sent a message to meet him in the packhouse lobby. I take Amber’s hand and we rush down to meet our Alpha.

However, such is life in our little quiet pack at the moment, another incident has happened with the Mafia, and Aiden had actually called to brief me as the pack Beta.

“So Dominga is dead? Well, that explains why Junior is now in cahoots with Nikki.”

Amber punches me in the arm. “Really, Preston? Have you forgotten again already? Nikki placed a curse on our future pups, Aiden, and there is a possibility I could already be pregnant.” I cringe at the last line and I tense in anticipation. Just as I thought, Aiden smacks me across the other shoulder.

“You got her pregnant while there was a curse on you both? What the f**k is wrong with you, Preston? You are supposed to be the clever, level-headed one. I wish everyone would F**K OFF!”

I can see that Aiden is being pushed to the edge. It has been a challenging time for him since he met his mate. I get it.

“Look, I’m sorry. I fvcked up. You go and deal with Alejandro and the Mafia, and Amber and I will wake the Elders and get advice from them. We’ll speak to you tomorrow.”

Aiden pulls his sister back to him. “No more shifting in case you are carrying, Amber. That’s my little niece or nephew in there. Let us all look after you now.”

I am hopeful that Aiden can persuade Amber to take a step back, but she pushes her brother. “Piss off, will you, I might not be, and it’s only been a couple of days. I’m not disabled if I have a pup, it’s not an illness. Goddess, you two are imbeciles.” Aiden and I grin at each other; there is the strong and sassy Amber we both know.

We alert the Elders and wait for them to join us in the conference room. While we wait, I tease Amber about what Aiden said.

“No more shifting, and we might insist on bedrest for you, Red. You will be carrying valuable cargo.” Her eyes flash in annoyance until a little glimmer of mischief kicks in too.

“I’ll have you waiting on me hand and foot, fluff my pillows, rub my feet, peel my grapes. I will have you whipped.” She giggles as she teases me back.

“I would do all those things and more, Amber. I would do anything for you, for us and for our future pups. I promise that.” Our foreheads touch as we think of the promise of the future, despite the curse and the threat it poses. Our own child, mine and Amber’s, would simply be out-of-this-world phenomenal. It would be the best thing to ever, ever happen to me.

“What is the meaning of this, Beta Preston? Do you realise it’s 4.50am? This had better be important.” Elder Joshua is always so grumpy, getting him up out of bed in the middle of the night only adds to his irritability.

I explain to the Elders, who grumble and whine about missing their beds and being cold. “So, this Nikki, her father, was a Red-Mage?” Elder Joshua asks. “What exactly were the words she used, Beta Preston?”

I close my eyes and try my best to remember.

“She said Amber was a wh0re and had killed her mate, and now she is going to destroy her and every other werewolf who tries to protect her. She’ll never stop until she avenges her lover. She said that Amber took everything from her, and now she is going to take everything from her and burn it to the ground and she won’t stop until Amber screams for death.”

Amber shudders at the side of me, but I haven’t finished yet. As soon as I remember the beginning of Nikki’s rant, the rest just blooms in front of me.

“Then she cursed us, she said ‘you could have had some semblance of a future with me, Beta Preston, if you had just submitted and done as I asked, but now you will also pay. Any pups that come from your union will be subjected to my curse. A curse to avenge my lost lover. Your pups will never replace theirs, they will not feel the bond of the mate. All pups born into your pack from now on will be subject to my curse. This is the cost your mate will pay for killing mine. I place a curse upon you all and your offspring. May you know what it is to be alone’.”

My eyes go wide as I realise what I’ve just said.

“Holy sh!t, she didn’t just curse Amber and me. She cursed us all.”

The Elders look equally concerned. “Then there is nothing else for her: this Red-Mage must die as soon as possible. The Alpha’s Heir is in jeopardy too. To stop a Red-Mage curse, you need to kill the host and take their heart. The heart must then be burned to ash. The ash then needs to be kept with the Alpha.”

Simple as that, then. We need to trap the Red-Mage and kill her before she causes any more damage.